A LEADING college group is helping to keep food banks’ shelves stocked up this festive period across Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
Staff and students across the college group WCG have been collecting food donated by the staff and students at four colleges.
The colleges’ food bank drive comprised of easy to access collection and donation points at the libraries of Moreton Morrell College, Royal Leamington Spa College, Rugby College and Pershore College.
This year marks the fourth successive year of donations, with WCG’s collection campaign beginning in December 2019 and continuing through the COVID lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.
Items donated included tinned meat, lentils, biscuits, pasta, tea and coffee, with donations then taken to each of the colleges’ local Trussell Trust food banks across Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
The Trussell Trust coordinates with local partners providing a service which assures residents can put food on their tables.
Steph Nettleton, library manager at WCG, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the wonderful work of our local food banks, playing our part in helping to maintain people’s access to food and supplies over the winter months.
“The campaign’s success would not have been possible without our library users and we have seen a variety of staff and students generously donating to a great cause.”
At Royal Leamington Spa College, a cohort of A Level Sociology students also got involved by running a collection drive for Warwick District Food Banks.
The project was part of the learners’ Personal Development Unit to become Active Citizens, with the students setting up the foodbank project to become more community minded.
The group collected bags containing a range of tinned and long-life goods including milk, spaghetti, fruit juice and potatoes.
Alongside food, the students also collected household essentials which were in high demand such as toiletries, washing liquid and toilet rolls.
Keeping in the festive spirit, people also donated some Christmas chocolate, puddings and biscuits treats.
To find out more about the Trussell Trust in Warwickshire and Worcestershire and how to donate, visit https://warwickdistrict.foodbank.org.uk/ and https://worcester.foodbank.org.uk/
